A Peaceful Sunday
Jet and I did our best to make John's Father's Day a good one, and we all had a great time. Waffle breakfast, church where the boys ushered and I was liturgist, and Luke preached a wonderful sermon about the difference between a God who loves you despite who you are and a God who loves you no matter who you are or where you are on life's journey. How much harder that latter belief can be to keep, but also how rewarding it is.
This after a concert by Bobby Jo Valentine last night. It was a tiny, intimate affair. Bobby Jo was raised in a very conservative family, and he was being vetted to do ministry in a big way as he was traveling all over the country preaching specifically to young adults. Then he decided to come out as gay. Everyone he knew told him he shouldn't do it, that he shouldn't *be* it, and after a very dark nine months, he came out with a faith that shines bright. Here's a link to one of his songs.
After church Jet went and mowed a lawn while I explore a pagoda set on Kanemoto Park, dedicated and built by one of the Japanese American families that have made a good place for themselves here. During the internment, local people held their farms in trust and they've been grateful since. They're huge benefactors through town, and I loved that they actually planted a grove of cherry trees by the Peace Pagoda.
This evening one of the neighbors had a cookout and invited a lot of the other neighbors over, and it was just comfortably social. Jet had an ensemble gathering, so I drove him to and fro, and got time to myself, too. aetherbox came up with the idea of using the Spoon Analogy for an introvert's limited social resources, and I'm very happy to pick that up for myself. I have more spoons now than when I was young, but with the illness after China and my asthma, I've had fewer of late. Still, these neighbors know of my reclusive ways, and tolerate it very very well. It was a fun gathering!
I've also finally gotten through all of our 3500 pictures, winnowing it down to "Just" under 900 on my Flickr Account. I know, it's still kind of intimidating, but at least now I can get started on writing and choosing just the few I really want. It was a huge job, but I'm happy I did it before I decided to write because the people on our tour really wanted to 'our pictures', not just the few I'd need to blog with...
This after a concert by Bobby Jo Valentine last night. It was a tiny, intimate affair. Bobby Jo was raised in a very conservative family, and he was being vetted to do ministry in a big way as he was traveling all over the country preaching specifically to young adults. Then he decided to come out as gay. Everyone he knew told him he shouldn't do it, that he shouldn't *be* it, and after a very dark nine months, he came out with a faith that shines bright. Here's a link to one of his songs.
After church Jet went and mowed a lawn while I explore a pagoda set on Kanemoto Park, dedicated and built by one of the Japanese American families that have made a good place for themselves here. During the internment, local people held their farms in trust and they've been grateful since. They're huge benefactors through town, and I loved that they actually planted a grove of cherry trees by the Peace Pagoda.
This evening one of the neighbors had a cookout and invited a lot of the other neighbors over, and it was just comfortably social. Jet had an ensemble gathering, so I drove him to and fro, and got time to myself, too. aetherbox came up with the idea of using the Spoon Analogy for an introvert's limited social resources, and I'm very happy to pick that up for myself. I have more spoons now than when I was young, but with the illness after China and my asthma, I've had fewer of late. Still, these neighbors know of my reclusive ways, and tolerate it very very well. It was a fun gathering!
I've also finally gotten through all of our 3500 pictures, winnowing it down to "Just" under 900 on my Flickr Account. I know, it's still kind of intimidating, but at least now I can get started on writing and choosing just the few I really want. It was a huge job, but I'm happy I did it before I decided to write because the people on our tour really wanted to 'our pictures', not just the few I'd need to blog with...